The land of ferelden layed on the brink of war,
For the first time, in centuries, their lands were threatened by the notorious darkspawn.
Rumors had spread through the land that a new blight was on the rise.
The king had drawn his armies to the ruins of Ostagar to stop the armies of darkspawn from
wandering deeper into their homelands.
In Highever,the Couslands family had been called upon by the king himself to come to their assitance towards the darkspawn armies.
Teryn Bryce Cousland was one of the most powerful and infulencal men in all of Ferelden.
But this story isnt only about them, This story is about A cousland,
Her name Was Mairella Cousland, The youngest daughter of Bryce and Elenore.
All her life she had grown up in the shadow of her oldest brother Fergus.
Mairella had tried everything she could to prove that she was strong enough to help out with
the armies and to protect their home.
But all her struggles were overlooked Because of their fear that she wouldnt be able to
pull it through.
She was a skilled warrior, in both swords and bows,
Since she was a kid she had practiced every day, education herself in combat training and history.
Thought the Teryn and his wife was both proud of their pup, he would never dream of sending her off into any battle.
It had come to her attention that her father was sending away her brother with their army to fight
with the king.
Betrayl and disappointment stirred in her mind, Why would they not let her go to fight?
She was just as good a warrior as her brother Fergus, Then why were they holding her back?
Mairella was a young and ambisius woman,
Her hair was braided close to her head in cons,and tied back into a ponytail.
Her face wore the tattoo's she had especially choosen for herself as a warrior,
The LArge tribal tattoo on her forehead,The headpiece had endured her allot of pain,
But she was proud of it in the end. Across her eye, she wore a small yet,markable tatoo,
Like a scar.
on her throat, she had a small tattoo, centered below her chin.
The night had fallen upon The Home of the Couslands,
She knew that their home was expecting visitors soon in a few days,
Her fathers old friend Arl Howe was expected to arrive soon,
As well as some of her mother's friends.
Mairella didnt really feel much fussed about it,
It was just one of those things she didnt really care much about.
She'd rather do soemthing important than sit around the highever home being their mother and father's little pride and joy.
The evenings dinner was allready over,
Her family was still in the dinning hall, and she could hear their gentle chitchat from the balcony where she had withdrawn to.
The night was dark and crystal clear, showing all the stars on the horizon.
She sighed to herself, thinking that somewhere out there, there had to be something for her too,
Wouldnt it?
In her mind,She knew that it had to be more to her life than serving at the highever castle.
There had to be, she kept promising herself in her head.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the rock fencing on the balcony,
She hadnt noticed that Fergus had snuck up behind her, watching his younger sister,
Torment herself with her thoughts.
"Mairella?"
She spun around to her brother's voice, he had caught her off-guard.
Fergus looked upon his younger sister, He knew something was on her mind,
She always had that look in her eyes, when she was concerned or worried.
"Whats going on?" He countinued, Leaning against the railing of the balcony.
Mairella sighed,turning to lean on the railing along side of her brother.
The Moonlight lit up her face, and her bright green eyes shinning in its reflection.
Why was he so concerned, He was a man and could do whatever he wanted,
and would always be allowed to serve his part as the Head of the highever family.
"Why cant i come with you? Havent I proven myself as a warrior over and over again?"
She murmured underneath her breath. Fergus just smiiled at her, that coy grin that
he always wore when he felt he was better than her.
"Sister Dear, you know they dont want all of their children to go out to war."
Mairella groaned, what kinda of an excuse was that?
She was just as capable as he was. Deep down inside, she knew this wasnt the life
she wanted to have.
"Your avoiding the Question, is it because i am a woman?"
The laughter rolled of his lips caught her off-guard, why was he laughing at her?
If she had been a man, there would never have been any doubt of sending her off
to fight in her father's name.
But no she had been cursed with being a woman.
She didnt not really quite understand it, Her mother used to be a battlemaiden,
So why couldnt she?
Fergus smilled and tugged at her shoulder, she saw that twinkle in his eye.
"Mairella, sister, Female or not, you should know, their doing this to keep you safe,
If something happenes to me, you are the next in line as head of our family."
It made some point she assured herself,
Thought nothing would ever happen to her brother, Fergus was a strong and tactical warrior,
and a good leader for their armies. she had to admite she was a bit jealouse of him,
he had everything she wanted.
"I want to be able to fight too, Fergus...I dont want be stuck here for the rest of my life"
He sent her one of his dashing smiles,
Pulling his sister closer by the shoulder,
"Don't worry too much, Soon enough, sister, you will be able to worry less bout fighting,
and more bout the important things in life."
What, she wondered with herself, Figthing for what you believed in wasnt important?
To fight for your country and your home, how could he say that wasnt important?
Or did he mean that she would have to settle down and find a family?
She shook her head, gazing at her elderly brother.
"No thanks,i have no intrest in familes and such as of yet, Fergus."
"One day,Sister, you will find a man who can tame you"
"Maybe I dont want a man..." She murmured, releasing herself from her brother's grip.
Fergus just smiled at her, as she walked away from his sight.
Her figths were out there, not here as a spoiled little princess.
"im going to bed," she marched away from his sight, the night was filled with thoughts and disappointment.
She were no princess...
-
That morning, she Had been summoned by her father,
She was unsure of what he wanted from her, she had yet to awake from her slumber, before
there had been a voice at her door, calling her to see her father as soon as possible.
Even if she was the youngest of the two siblings, it was rare that he called upon her in this manner.
It must have been important she thought to herself. nothing like this came up without importance.
She sighed to herself, a deep one in frustration, Still gazing at her bedroom ceiling,
The bed was too comfertabe to leave just yet.
Her bed was warm and comfertable, the linings under her back was soft to the touch.
"Today...maybe today will be different...maybe i can prove im not just some noble puppet..."
the thought spun around her head, she had to make her father see that there was use of her,
not only to dilliance around the castle and running errands.
she ran her hand over her hair, taking another deep sigh.
It was time to get up, she couldnt let her father wait all day.
If it really was important it was better to get it over with than to wait.
Pushing herself off the bed, her soft feet hit the floor with a gentle thud,
On a nearby armorstand hung her leather armor, Made from the finest leather
in all of ferelden.
The air of the room around her was cold to the touch of her skin, sending
shivers down her spine.
The leather, felt cold and almsot damp aganst her skin as she pulled on her armor.
With quick fingertips, she braided her hair, her black long locks slipping through her fingers,
as she weaved her hair together across her head.
The tight Braids bounced off her shoulders, one by one, until her entire head was finished.
She smirked at herself in the mirror, as she pulled back her hair into a ponytail.
At her door, Her mabari was sleeping peacefully, shortly barking in his sleep.
Gazing at the large muclear dog, she found herself smiling at his stiill puppy like behavior.
The Mabari had been a present from her parents at a young age,
Her father had brough the puppy, when she was just a kid, thought
the dog itself had almost been bigger than she was.
The Mabari Had caused her allot of injuries as a child,
He had far from imprinted himself on her from the beginning.
It had taken years before he finally had approved of her.
From then on,the two had been unsepertable.
Mairella smiled at herself as she gave her mabari a ruffle of his
fur before pushing the door to her room open.
-
"Ah there you are pup," She heard her father's voice call out to her as she entered the room.
At his side stood a man, roughly about his age,
Mairella allready knew who it was.
"Father."
The man at her father's side was none other than Arl howe,
Her father and howe had been friends for ages,
Since they both were young men and allot less grey haired than they were now.
"You remember Arl Howe, dont you pup?" her father countinued, turning his attention to his friend.
Quietly she nodded and layed her cold gaze upon howe.
"You and my son are about the same age are you not?"
What was this, she thought to herself, were they trying to set her up with howe's son?
She had no intrest in such affairs, she could manage her love affairs on her own,
without any interferance from her parents or anyone else.
"I am not intrested, Howe, i have other plans for my life" Mairella murmured, throwing the Arl a cold gaze.
She could tell the frustration spreading across her face.
"Um...Well pup there is someone here that i want you to meet"
Through the nearby door, a tall man entered, he was dressed in a heavy armor, dual swords at his hips.
His eyes reflected years of wisdom and experience behind him, she was sure he had seen the tides of battle.
His dark brown hair, tied tightly back in a ponytail, his face wore a short beard in the same
dark color as his hair.
As he approched the group,he turned his gaze upon the young cousland.
"Pup, This is Duncan of the grey warden."
A grey warden? In highever? What could he possibly be doing in their home?
Up though her years, she had read allot bout the history of the Grey Wardens,
All their amazing stories about their fights during the past blights.
How they had rided into the battles on the back of griffons.
She wished she could have seen that, it all sounded so glorious.
"It's an honnor to meet you, Duncan" She said while taking a deep bow of respect.
She noticed to her surprise, the grey warden folding both of his arms in a cross over his chest and
bowed back to the young girl.
"i have heard much bout you, from your father, Mairella. we could use someone like you in the
grey wardens." His voice was deep and husky.
Her? A warden? somehow it sounded ever so excited in her mind.
"I dont have enough children to send out to war, unless your invoking the rite of concription, old friend" bryce let out, shocked to hear the suggestion of his friend.
She had read about that in the story books, The Rite of concrition allowed the grey wardens
to take anyone no matter what rank they were, to join the Wardens.
How she wished he would, it would take her away from Highever,
Though she loved her parents, being locked up in their home didnt approve her view
on life.
"What," she exclaimed, tuning in frustration to her father, "Why not, i think it sounds like a great idea" she countinued.
Bryce shook his head at his young daughter, then turning to his friends.
"See what i have to put up with," he said with a chuckle before continuing.
"Duncan will be staying here for a while, hes on the look out for new recruites for the wardens,
he's been observing Sir Gilmore for a while. but, there will be more time to talk to duncan later,
For now can you please deliver a message to Fergus for me,Pup?"
Quietly she nodded, again being the delivery girl to her brother.
She took another bow before leaving the room.
Errend girl, over and over again. it was boring her, all this highclass living.
Upon exiting the room, she took a deep breath, in the far distance she could hear
Heavy barking.
She hoped with herself that it wasnt her mabari again,it wouldnt be the first time the darn
dog would be up to no good.
As she turned the corner, a young man stood before her, it was none other than sir gilmore.
He smiled sweetly at her as he took a deep bow.
"M'lady,im glad i ran into you."
"What is it now Sir gilmore?" she murmured under her breath, lowering her eyebrows into a frown.
"It seems as if your mabari has gotten into the larder again, Nan is going out of her mind."
So,it had been her Mabari after all.
It wasnt the first time he had gotten into the Larder, and each time Nan put on a hissyfit.
She wondered if he truly was getting bored in the highever home that he had figured out
that the easiest way to get some fun was to irritate Nan.
"i guess we should go pick him up before she tears down the castle," she exclaimed,
Taking another deep breath, seemed like this day wasnt going to end any time soon on good manners.
Each step, closer to the kitchen, she could hear nan shouting and screaming at their elven servants.
She had to put an stop to his rampage, he had to learn at some point.
She pushed the door open, Sir gilmore right on her heals,
As the young couple entered, nan was in the middle of one of her shouting sessions,
All mairella heard was "Mongrel this,Mongrel that"
"Nan?" her voice was clear and firm as she stepped up behind her Nan,
Before the elderly woman stood the two elven servants, they faces flushed and worried.
"About time you showed up child! your damn dog is in my larder again!" The elderly woman shouted, her crooked finger pointing at the door behind her.
"I am sorry, Nan, I will get him out of there, i promise" Mairella stepped up to the door,
inside she could hear his loud barking, Maker knew what he was so excited about.
As the door creeped open, she saw her mabari sniff around on the ground,
She couldnt help but wonder with herself what he was doing to begin with.
"What is it boy? What are you doing?"
Shortly after ending her sentance, she heard a loud squeak from one of the nearby sacks.
Sir Gilmore quickly turned to the young cousland, "Did you hear that?!" he shouted out,
Drawing the blade at his side.
The Mabari had allready snuck up on the sack, barking loudly, the sound echoing through
the brick walls.
Out from behind the sack, leaped a giant rat, it was bigger than any rat she had ever seen in her life.
"By the maker!" she exclaimed as she drew out her sword as well,
The mabari lounged at the giant rat, taking its life quickly, but not as shortly after he'd killed it,
more emerged from their hideouts.
"By the maker," Sir girlmore, took a step back, waving his steel sword at the rodents,
"this is like the start of every bad adventure tale my grandfather used to tell me"
The young cousland shrugged, "Well we cant leave them in here."
Her sword got drenched in the rodent blood, but the little buggers kept on coming.
There werent normal Rats, they must come from the wilds, creeping into the kitchen for food.
Rats shouldnt be a problem for warriors like themselves.
a couple of minutes passed and the rats seemed to be gone,
The larder floor was covered in a bright red substance.
"Well, that took care of that problem, we better return to Nan." she whispered, sheating her weapon.
The Mabari jumped around her legs, happily.
He wasnt as stupid as Nan wanted him to be, she assured herself.
All he tried to do was protect them and warn them afterall.
Upon returning to the kitchen, she could see the surprised look on Nan's face,
watching the two younglings covered from head to toe, in blood.
"Maker's Blood!"
Mairella threw her a small ensuring smile. "We found your problem,Nan, My dog was trying to
warn us about the Rats in the larder."
"Rats?!" Nan exclaimed, taking a step back in shock. "Nonsense! there is no rats in my larder!"
"There was Nan, it looked like Wild rats..." Before she could even finish, one of the elf servants
interupted her, "Korchi wild rats?! They wiill eat us alive they will"
The young cousland chucled at the elf's remark, eat us all, what was the chance of rats
actually being able to do such a thing? A dragon she could understand could eat you alive,
but a rat? no matter of its size.
"Our job here is done, i have to go find fergus, Goodbye Nan."
-
Sir gilmore had taken his leave, after leaving Nan's kitchen, he had buisness to attend to else where,
Not that Mairella really minded, she didnt enjoy him looking over her shoulder all the time.
She felt dirty, her blade and armor still covered in blood, she should clean up as soon as possible.
They couldnt have her wandering around the highever castle looking like she just had murdered someone.
The mabari at her heel, playfully barked at his mistress.
"You goofball," she murmured, running her fingers across the furbag's head, "Havent you caused
me enough trouble for one day?" softly she chuckled at his panting face.
Up ahead, she could hear friendly chattering, she wondered if it could be her mother.
Turning the corner, she could see Elenore, standing with what looked like more company that
had arrived at the castle.
"Mother"
Mairella lowered her head in a bow of respect to her elder, at elenore's side stood a woman,
roughly around her age.
She also noticed the young elven maid standing between her mother's friend and a young man.
The elven maid was very beautiful, Mairella thought to herself.
"Ah Pup there you are," Elenore said with an welcoming smile, it was hard to believe that her mother once were a hardned battle maiden.
"This is Lady Landra,her son and her maid in waiting." Her mother gestured towards her friend and the young man.
"Ah yes," mairella said with a chuckle, "i remember you, werent you drunk at my Mothers Salon?"
Her mother covered her face in shame at her daugters remarks.
Truth be told, mairella did infact remember her, she also remembered how pushy she and her mother had been in setting something up with her son.
By the Maker,could they not understand allready she did not need her mother's help,
after all she was a big girl.
However, she knew her mother only wished the best for her.
"im so proud of my pup's diplomatics and etics," her mother nervously replied.
"But it was such a wonderful Salon... the little i remember"
Mairella covered up her chuckle with her hand,
"Well mother, we will retreat to the study, Maybe we can talk later, M'lady" Her son threw her a smile, thought mairella coldly turned it down.
She was left with her mother, who still didnt seem to be too amused with her pup's little joke.
"must you always make the worst of things pup?"
She wouldnt exactly call that the worst she could have done, she could have done so much worse.
"oh mother, it was the truth none the less, if the arlessa cant hold her drinks, isnt really my faulth,
now is it?" The young cousland sheepishly explained.
"anyway mother, I have things to do, and...im sure you do too"
"I love you my dear daughter, Remember that" Elenore placed her hands on her young daugther's shoulders, Mairella smiled warmly at her mother dear.
"I love you too"
She found herself courious about the arlessa's Maid in waiting,
What was it he had said, the study? She questioned herself,
Would it be too much of her to go out of her way of deliviring Fergus's message to go talk to her?
Who would ever notice, she assured herself. its not like he knew she was coming anyway.
Sheepishly she grinned, walking down the hall towards the study.
Tsk tsk tsk, Mairella, she thought to herself,pushing open the door.
Deeply she took a breath, inhaling the study air, deep into her lounges.
"M'lady"
She looked up, meeting the gaze of the elven maiden.
Mairella smiled from ear to ear as she bowed to the young elf.
"I was wondering if you might be intrested in a chat"
She had withdrawn herself to her bath,she had been wandering around with the
Rat's blood on her for too long.
Her skin felt as if it smelled worse than a thousand deaths, rot and decay.
Eleanor has once told her that she would never land a husband that way,
Dirty and rouffled like a boy. No man would ever find that attractive.
It didnt bother her too much,
it wasnt any rush of finding the time to settle down.
First of all she wanted life, to feel like she was alive, instead of this.
Mairella wasnt some fancy highclass lady.
when her mother dressed her up in her fancy orleasiean dresses,
The young cousland could'nt help but feel like an idiot on parade.
Silkbands, Heavy Velvets, Ribbons and Pink pearls,
Her mother even made her wear her hair down, it curled around her shoulders,
Black as ravens feathers.
She chuckled to herself, how her mother often had refered to her as having two sons.
It was somewhat true, she supposed, she had never had much intrest in acting like a highclass lady.
She was a warrior, not a pamper lapdog.
The water was warm and reviving,
Exactly what she needed after a long day,
She couldnt exactly had shown up for dinner, her armor covered with rat's blood.
Mairella found herself chuckling at that thought, it would really have driven her mother insane,
She could allready hear her now, Blood? in the dinning hall? Pup have you no manners?
It was something she would have been likely to do, but for today, she had been enough problems
for her parents to deal with.
Submerging herself into the warm water, she exhaled deeply,
she'd love to just stay there, instead of pampering herself up to go to dinner,
with her parents guests.
Tomorrow was the day, Fergus was leaving for the king's armies at Ostagar.
She wish she could go, instead of being stationed here to watch over their home.
it didnt seem right to her, she could have made a difference along side of her brother.
Sigh...
Lifting the chalic to her lips, she took a sip of the white wine, the elven servants had placed for her
to enjoy during her bath.
The bitter taste swirled around her mouth.
The wine made her cheeks blush softly, her eyes glazed over as the wine did it's work through her veins.
the nearby candlelight's waving flame, reflected on the wet water pearls, twinkled on her light cream skin.
"Take care of the castle, Pup...Do this Pup..." She said with a sigh,
Running her slender fingers through her unbraided damp hair.
Another sip of the wine, she promised herself she get up soon,
Soon...at the moment, the sweet comfort of her warm bath was too pleasurable.
For a minute, she wondered about the rats they had earlier seen in the larder,
The more she thought bout it, it seemed a bit unlikely for them to come from the wilds?
From her history books and her lessons in geomitry, the winds found themselves all the way to the east,
While their home, layed all the way north in Ferelden, Could the Rats possibly have gone from the wilds, All the way to their highever cast?
She allowed herself to ponder more of the question as she brought the glas to her lips,
Could it be possible that the Darkspawn in the wild, had made the Rats come all the way to their home?
It made sense,she told herself, Animals as well as humans,dwarves and elves all wanted to get as far away from the blight as possible.
Her thoughts came to an pause, as her mind went blank.
in her head, the wine has started to pull the strings on her judgment.
Right, she remembered that her parents would be waiting for her in the dinning hall.
Her cheeks wore the color of light pink,
Releaved, her body sunk into the hot water,
Just a bit more, she promised herself.
Night had fallen upon the highever castle, and their dinning hall filled with chit chat of this and that.
Mairella had finally choosen to join them, the wine however, felt as if iit had gone to her head just a bit.
She nodded in a greeting to the people around the table,
Her hair she had loosen from their tightly braided braids,
Hanging of her shoulders, the waves glistering in the candle light.
Once again she found herself in one of those silly dresses that her mother thought so
foundly about.
She could see everyone was allready here,
The Grey warden, Howe, The Arlessa and her son.
Fergus along with his wife and child.
She seated herself on the side of her brother, her thick hair bouncing off her shoulders.
"About time you showed up, little sister, Mother was close to sending out a searching party," Fergus whispered against her ear, lightly chuckling at his own remarks.
The smell of wine thick on his breath.
"Im sure they could do without me for a little time more," murmuring under her breath,
Raising her glas to her lips.
from the corner of her eye, she could see the young elven maid, gazing in her direction.
She raised her glas at the young maiden, taking another sip of her glas,
The maiden's cheeks turned a light hue of pink.
Mairella found herself sheepishly smiling as the chalic covered her mouth,
Iona blushed at the young cousland.
Startled, Fergus nudged her by her shoulder,leaning in again towards his younger sister,
"Don't let mother catch you doing that,sister dear, She's concerned enough as it is about you,"
He chuckled deeply, watching his sister's grimance turn into a frown.
"Fergus,"she murmured, a grin slowly spreading across her lips, her eyebrows low above her
emerald opals. "do allow me some fun, brother dear, We dont all have an antivan flower,"
She chuckled.
In the corner of her eye, she saw Iona come in her direction,
The young elven girl, wore a small shy smile on her lips as she walked up to the cousland daughter.
"M'lady..." Iona whispered, leaning down to Mairella's ear, Her hot breath against the skin of her ear, as the girl moved in closer to a whisper. "I...Will see you after dinner, m'lady?"
Her cheeks flushed again, as the wineglass rested against her full lower lip.
She inhaled the smell of the elven girl,standing ever so close, her breath tickling against her skin.
"She smells wonderful...intoxicating..." She let her thoughts wander, as the girl
waited inpatiently for an answer.
Sipping from the glas, she nodded slowly, her eyes seeking that of the elven girl.
"...Yes... After dinner..."she whispered, the pupiles of Iona dialated and the red flush
spreading acoss her cheeks.
She had to admite she did find elves quite pleasing to the eye, Most of them were quite beautiful.
Fergus nudged her side again as she got drawn out of her train of thoughts,
The conversation around the cousland table wasnt really something she found herself
paying much attention to. Her father, Howe and the warden talked about the days when they
were young men, which at the moment for her seemed like decades ago.
A girlish giggle escaped her, though quickly she covered up her mouth, so coy she felt.
Her emerald eyes keep seeking out Iona amongst the elven servants.
Her movement seemed to have slowed down, or was it her own vision that was starting to blur?
Enough, she thought to herself, She couldnt allow her mind to play tricks on her.
With those thoughts in her mind, she finnished off another glass.
By now she had allready lost count, by now her mind was allready iin a haze.
The Teryness sent a look in the direction of her daughter,
Catching her unfocused vision, planted upon the candles lined up along their dining table,
Her pupiles fully dialted as the reflection of the flames danced upon the glaze of her eyes.
Elanore shook her head, notioning with her hand for one of their serveants.
One of their servants walked up to the elderly woman, Iona right at their heel.
"Please get Mairella to her room..." The elderly woman whispered, eying over at her young daughter.
Iona stepped forwards, bowing as she spoke,
"M'ladyship, let me take care of your daughter,i'll make sure she gets some sleep..." Elanore nodded silently and waved the girl away.
Iona lowered her head to mairella's hight, whispering soflty againt the young cousland's ear,
"Your mother...Asked me to take you to bed, Would that please you, M'lady?"
A shiver ran down through her spine, as the warmth with every word hit her earlobe.
Her eyes widened, her cheeks burning, she didnt dare speak, only quietly nodding
At the elven girl.
Mairella pushed back her seat, trying to focus on what she was doing as she bowed to the
Company of their home.
The elven maiden fiercly grabbed her by her arm,guiding her out of the large dinning hall.
She snickered as she threw Iona a smile, "You...taking me to bed isnt suspicious at all,"
The brunette's head leaned against the shoulder of the young elven girl, she nuzzled the side of her neck, inhaling the smell of her.
"M'lady..." Iona chuckled, stabiling The cousland girl against the Wall outside her quarters.
"You think you were not obvous enough, M'lady?"
She supposed she was right, she wasnt exactly being descreat.
"Shhhhh," mairella murmured, the wine hanging on her breath, the back of her hand,
Brushing against the young girl's skin,
"come now..."
-
A Deep and heavy sleep have brushed over her, its heavy blanket taking her away
to the Fade, The place of dreams.
The warm embrace of the elven servant had made her drift of to plesant sleep.
But for how long?
In the back of her sleep, she heard the powerful and loud bark of the mabari warhound,
Echoing through her dream like a wildfire,spread from one corner to the other.
"No...No..." She murmured in her restless sleep,Her breath heavy and thick.
Thought, she felt a nudge going through her entire body, like a jolt.
"M'lady..."
Another Voice entered her dream like state, swirling around her, embracing her,
Shaking her at the very core to startled her from her dream state.
"M'LADY!" the words were louder now, shaking the dreamworld surronding her,
It crumled to her touch as she reached for its very center.
With A jolt she awoke, panting, heaving for air.
inhaling a deep breath to fill her lounges once more and calm the shakes going through
her body.
In the corner of her eye, she saw a scared young girl,
Hell for a moment she had even forgotten about Iona.
upon closer examination, she saw the terrified look in the girl's eyes,
Her pupiles widely dialated as her gaze met that of Mairella's.
"M'lady, at last your awake...your dog is being awfully loud..."
Her dog...
So it hadnt been all in her dreams after all, The mabari stood at her bedroom door,
Growling,barking,
Heavyily panting inbetween.
"ignore him...he proberly heard someone in the hall..."
She still wasnt awake, the sleep hanging heavy still in her mind.
Leaning over, she kissed the young Elf on her pink lips,
That sheepish grin spreading across her lips again,
They were soft and sweet to her taste.
Iona exhaled, her fingers running down the darkhaired girl's cheeks,
"but he is so loud...I'm just gonna take a look, ok?
Then...ill come back to bed" Iona smiled and returned the kiss.
she watched the naked elven girl, slip out of her bed,
Swaying in her movement as she walked towards the door.
Startled she watched as the door pushed open from the outside,
Iona thumbled to her back,From her shoulder, the blood pumped from
an arrow wound.
"Noo!"
The young cousland managed to roll herself from her bed, Hitting the floor with
a loud thud.
She was dead, she assured herself, they had killed Iona.
Leaping from her hiding spot, She got a hold of the sword nearby,
Before the archer could nuck another arrow, she slashed at the intruder.
She felt her stomach turn as she saw the banner on the intruders shild,
The choking caught her, her eyes opening wide in shock.
Howe...He had betrayed them all, it was all a lie, his men had never been delayed,
They had only waited for the right time of action.
The intruders layed at her feet, the blood gushing from their wounds.
Iona layed in a pile of blood, her beautiful pale skin, splattered with blood.
She gringed her teeth hard together as she closed Iona's eyes, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
"...Goodbye..."
The time was fleeting, this was slaughter, Howe must have intended to kill them all.
The darkhaired girl snapped herself into her armor, cleaning the blood from her sword as she sprinted to the hall.
The sound of an opening door startled her, readying her sword,
But to her surprise, it was her mother.
Her mother was wearing her old battle armor, the tales of its
battes showed on the hard leather.
"Mother, are you allright?"
Elanore seemed unharmed,it would take a bit more than a few men to take her down.
Warmly she smiled at her young daughter, hugging her tightly to make sure she was unharmed.
"I am fine..did you see the banners on those shields? Those are howe's men!" Her mother yelled,
Clinging on tightly.
Why would he betray her father after so many years?
It didnt make any sense, her father had done nothing to deserve the betrayal.
They had always been loyal to the crown and Ferelden, why Howe had turned around and
stabbed him in the back.
"Have you seen your father? He never came to bed..." her mother trailed off, the worry
spreading in her eyes.
"No...Mother, he might still be somewhere in the castle, we need to go look for him"
Elanore agreed, arming her with the bow her daughter had handed over.
They couldnt be worrying allready, all that mattered was getting out of the castle alive.
Fergus had allready left the night before, along with his troops.
All the firepower they had left in the castle was the stationed guards,
Lead by Sir Gilmore.
There was smoke and fire everywhere, she could feel the heat against her skin,
the heavy thick smoke rolled thought the hallways.
Everywhere there was shouting and screaming,
By now they must have allready taken down allot of their men.
Her mother's face got filled more and more with concern, they had not seen any traces of her father.
Could he still be alive?
"There they are!" A loud voice called at, getting her attention.
Forcefully, the attacker's sword clashed against her cousland shield,
With a loud scream, she impaled her attacker upon her steel blade.
The Howe soldier gurgled as the blood filled his throat, the trail of blood
running from the corners of his mouth.
She would not go down without a fight, she'd slice Howe's troath herself if
she had the possibility to.
upon entering the mainroom, amongst the fighting men, she spotted sir Gilmore,
"Sir Gilmore," her voice echoed through the open room, The young knight Paused in
his path,
A sort of smile spread across his face, "M'lady, M'ladyship, you are both alive,"
This was not the time for pleseantries, finding her father was the
only thing that mattered.
"Sir Gilmore," her mother started, "Have you seen Bryce?"
Closing his eyes, he nodded slowly at the Teyrness,
Did that mean he was alive still?
She felt her own heart beating fast as positivity spread in her heart.
"He went to the Larder, M'ladyship, the last time i saw him,
it will take some time before they will reach him, the two of you better hurry."
Mother and daughter both noded in union, Sir Gilmore taking a bow, as the
teryness pulled her daughter from the room.
"Father," She thought, "We are coming...be safe please"
She pleeded in her mind,Thougt the attack was strong,
Her father was stronger, he had to be, He was a strong man and seen his
share of battles in his time. Mairella assured herself, that it was not her father's
time to return to the maker.
Her mother had allready started sprinting towards the kitchen,
To her husband, to the man she loved, and hopefully was still alive.
"Bryce!"
She heard her mother call out as she stumbled into the room behind her,
The image that awaited her, was not one of which she had expected.
In a pool of his own blood, layed her father, Alive, but badly wounded,
Her stomach turned at the sigh of him.
"We cant let him get away with this! i want Howe punished for this!"
Vengful, her blood rised within her veins, she could not
Allow that man to justify the damage he had done to her family and her home.
"Pup...save your strenght... you need to contact Fergus...his life might be in danger..."
Bryce's voice was low and husky, it broke in several ocations as he tried
to gather the strenght.
Her attention drew to the door, as ratling of armor drew near,
She gripped the sword at her side, ready to pounch any of Howe's men
that would enter the room.
Though, it was not, in stepped the tall dark Grey warden Duncan,
His armor was stained in the blood of Howe's men.
in his hands, his sword and dagger, dripping with blood from the tip of the steel.
"Duncan...my friend, you have to get them out of here..." His voice was weaker now,
His face started to show the pain that was spreading through out his body.
Bryce twisted in pain as he clinged his fist at his stomach.
"I will, but i have one thing to ask of you, The blight demands that i return with a grey warden."
Bryce grinded his teeth hard together, the pain was overcoming his body, second by second,
"anything...just get them out of here..."
The young cousland turned to her father, "what have i no say in this?"
She demanded in a clear voice, her fist clinged tightly together, the other hand on the handle of her sword.
"This is not the time pup...you have to go...i will kill as many of howe's men to buy you time...
We love you..."
The Tall and brood Warden, grab her by the shoulder, pulling the young girl from her seated position on the floor.
She tried to struggle him, without any success as he pulled her out through the secret exit,
Her last image was that of her mother and father, clinged to each other on the floor of the larder,
In a couple of hours, her life had been turned up side down,
She would not let Howe get away with this.